proverb · Source-linked selection
To woo is a pleasure in young men, a fault in old.
To woo is a pleasure in young men, a fault in old.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying permits courtship for younger men while condemning it for older men. A critical reading questions age as a substitute for assessing consent and conduct.
What the words are saying
Pleasure and fault are assigned to the same pursuit according to the person’s age. It can expose unequal expectations about affection and ageing. A useful interpretation asks whether the people involved freely consent and treat each other respectfully, rather than assuming that older people should have no romantic life. Differences in power or circumstances still deserve actual examination.
Everyday example
People assess a relationship through consent and mutual respect instead of declaring it improper solely because one person is older.
When to use it
Use it critically to examine age-based judgments about courtship.
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What it does not mean
Age alone does not establish wrongdoing; consent, power and conduct matter.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Historical period not yet established
No sufficiently supported historical placement has been established. Import and download dates are not treated as composition dates. - Recorded source
- A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
Entry 1827 · Woo
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English